Charli xcx’s ‘Vroom Vroom’ is Still Going Strong (10 Year Anniversary)

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Casting your mind across the career of Charli xcx, it seems like her experimentalism only became common knowledge after ‘BRAT‘. However, long before that neon green summer, the Cambridge-born star began to move away from the mainstream pop that record companies wanted. Looking at her discography, the ‘Vroom Vroom’ EP marks the moment this artist decided to show the world how she really felt.

The Title Track

One of xcx’s most iconic hits, ‘Vroom Vroom,’ has become a calling card for her career. It’s definitely a cultural marker of when Charli took over pop. For fans, hearing this song for the first time would have been a shock. There is no ease-in to this era. The track starts with a confident rasp from the singer, straight into the clipped hook, and holds you in the song until the end.

The drums on this track stay with you: heavy use of reverberation and room design, the snappy snare, and kick combination is almost like an engine backfiring. The isolated double hit makes you focus on the lyrics and the rest of the instrumentation. Furthermore, it acts as a standout earworm, making you want to go back and keep listening. Every element of this record seems specifically designed to slap you in the face.

Collaborations

We can time-stamp Charli xcx’s vital relationship with the great SOPHIE – hyperpop sensation – with this EP. Bringing SOPHIE in to produce this EP seemed to give the popstar the freedom to explore the unconventional. Harsh percussive accents from the tinny snare captured the attention of critics and the club scene alike. The whole EP remains a Boiler Room staple to this day. The high-pitched and choppy vocal samples are reminiscent of SOPHIE’s ‘HARD’ among other tracks. These two were enthusiastic collaborators and very close friends, and the music that came from that friendship stands out, and the late artist’s legacy has stood the test of time.

Hannah Diamond provides backing vocals in ‘Paradise,’ and the pair elevate the melody, especially the chorus. The paradisal union of the two voices makes this a perfectly memorable follow-up to the title track.

Undoubtedly, Jodie Harsh brought the thumping kick drum and iconic siren sound to the project that stays with you after hearing it. This final track, ‘Secret (Shh)’, leaves you wanting more, for sure.

The Legacy

Following ‘Vroom Vroom’s‘ release, Charli xcx went on to release a string of pop anthems with big collaborations across the music industry, including with experimental artists such as RAYE, Caroline Polachek, and Tove Lo. With each of her subsequent singles displaying the further shaping of her own sound, this artist’s legacy keeps this EP held up high, with the title track still bringing a distracted club crowd to a standstill, and even the freshest of Charli fans know every word.

It was received with open arms by the Queer community, bringing hordes of one of the most beloved demographics. Before ‘Vroom Vroom’, queer music lovers were beginning to warm to the pop star. However, with this release, the LGBTQ+ community flocked to Charli xcx and haven’t left her side since.

The primary ingredient in this genre-bending heroine’s ever-growing career is the fanbase. 10 years on, ‘Vroom Vroom’ represents the catalyst that sent her into speed drive.

Charli xcx is on Instagram and TikTok. You can stream ‘Vroom Vroom‘ below and read more anniversary pieces here.

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